


With Candy Canes and Silver Lanes

by themadgirlinthebluebox



Series: Have Yourself A Kiam Little Christmas [11]
Category: The Royals (TV 2015)
Genre: Candy Canes, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Cravings, F/M, Liam's really too sweet, Pregnancy, Romance, christmas gifts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 13:09:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17142350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themadgirlinthebluebox/pseuds/themadgirlinthebluebox
Summary: And honestly? Liam couldn't think of anything better than being out in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve to buy candy canes because Kathryn had been craving them.





	With Candy Canes and Silver Lanes

**Author's Note:**

> This one is my favorite.

Day Eleven: With Candy Canes and Silver Lanes

"It's almost ten, you can't be serious."

Kathryn propped her chin on his shoulder and stared up at him with wide eyes. "I know, I know but please? She really needs them."

"The baby needs candy canes right now?" He questioned. "Seriously? On Christmas Eve at ten?"

"Fine, you caught me. She doesn't want them, I do. But she's the one making me crave them. And I only have tomorrow to eat them, you know they don't taste as good on the 26th."

They had been tucked in on the couch and watching a movie when Kathryn had asked Liam to go get her the minty treat. Liam had been comfortably tracing circles over her stomach as the baby kicked and he really didn't want to move. They had been bickering about it for twenty minutes. He shook his head and turned back to the TV and she crawled out from under the blanket.

"Come on, you're not mad are you?" He pointed outside, snow was blowing and they could hardly see across the street. "It's late and there's a snowstorm."

"No, I'm going to go get some before the shops close." She rested a hand on her belly and sighed dramatically before speaking to it. "It looks like it's just the two of us. Your father is making his pregnant fiancee go out into the cold, _alone,_ on Christmas Eve just because he's comfortable."

He snorted and crossed his arms. "You're full of shit."

She was slowly headed to the coat rack, her footsteps were heavy on purpose. "Hopefully, I don't get a cold with my fragile immune system."

Liam cocked an eyebrow as she held a hand to her back and acted as if she couldn't reach her coat. She still spoke to her stomach, ignoring him entirely.

"Don't worry sweetheart, Mummy understands you can't help what you make her crave. Unlike some people."

With a loud groan, Liam threw the blanket off his lap and pushed himself off the couch. "You've made your point. I'll go."

"No, no, you've made it perfectly clear. Even though  _I'm_ the pregnant one I have to go."

"Whatever. Sit down, I'll be back. There's no security tonight and I can't have you wandering the streets with your frail immune system."

"Fragile immune system." She corrected as he tied his shoes. "You're really going?"

He couldn't believe what he was saying but gave a quick nod. "I guess so."

"Yay! Thank you." She hung up her coat and handed him his. "My hero. I love you."

"Yeah, yeah." He couldn't even pretend to be upset when she giggled. "I love you too."

* * *

A small part of Liam wished he had let Kathryn go instead. The wind was cold and bit into his skin as he walked down the street. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and his hat was stretched over his ears. The shop was just around the corner but the falling snow made it feel miles away. There were no cabs to be hailed and he had given their security details the night off. So when he stepped into the warm shop, he decided to linger a bit. Even if he just had to go back out into the cold.

He tucked two boxes of candy canes under his arm and grabbed a bag of mini ones for good measure. He didn't know if 'the baby' was craving a certain size and he wasn't risking having to come all the way back here. He wandered up and down the aisle of the empty corner store and looked at different snacks while he waited for his feet to thaw.

Liam wanted to be annoyed that he was here instead of sitting on the couch, but he just couldn't be. Anytime Kathryn had been a bit absurd about something holiday related over the past month he reminded himself of this time last year. He had been sitting in his bedroom feeling bitter and dejected. Kathryn had told him she just wanted to be friends, that he shouldn't fight for her. So even though his feet were still freezing all he thought of was what he told her.

"I know you have a history with Robert, but you have a future with me."

He had thought of it when he had grown tired of looking for a Christmas tree, when he had been annoyed about taking a Christmas photo, and last night during dinner with his family. Things could have been so different than they were. If his past self had been told that in a year, he'd be engaged and having a baby with Kathryn he would have laughed. But here he was a year later and both things were true.

And honestly? He couldn't think of anything better than being out in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve to buy candy canes because Kathryn had been craving them.

Except for being warm and on the couch with her, but that was a different story.

Once his fingers finally had some feeling back in them he made his way to the counter.

"It's kind of late to be buying candy canes isn't it?" The clerk question as he scanned them. "Last minute craving?"

A half smile pulled at his mouth as he handed over the money. "Something like that. Merry Christmas."

The walk back to the flat was just as cold as the walk to the shop was. The snow fell in thick flakes and blanketed the rooftops and cars. It muffled the usual sounds of the city and everything felt calm and relaxed. The orange streetlights bathed the snow in a warm glow. The only sounds were the rustles of the bag and his footsteps crunching through the snow.

"She's lucky I like her." He said to himself as he turned onto their street. "This is ridiculous."

But the thought left as quickly as it had come when he reached their building. From the street below, he could see their tree in the window. He could see the lights he had spent an hour untangling and the star Kathryn had insisted she put on the tree, even if he had to lift her. Even from outside it looked like home.

"I'm back. I got full-sized and mini ones in case you claim they taste different." He slipped off his boots and hung his coat by the door. "These better be the best candy canes you've ever had."

She pressed a mug of hot chocolate into his hands. "They will be, thank you."

"Anything for you. Even if I do have frostbite." He joked as he let the mug warm his fingers. "But I guess I'm not the one carrying our baby, so better me than you."

Kathryn shook her head and touched her stomach. "He's learning."

Liam had sat back on the couch and pulled the blanket on his lap, happy to be home. Kathryn was already sticking a candy cane in her mouth when she sat next to him. She batted his hand away and whined when he swiped one from the box.

"Hey, these are mine."

"I went out to get them." He reminded her and took a second one just to prove his point. He stirred his drink with one and sat the other one on the table. "You're welcome by the way."

"I said thank you." She kissed him and laid her warm hand on his cold face. "But thank you again."

He just nestled into the couch and reached for the remote. "Now, back to our regularly scheduled binge watching."

"Actually... I need one more thing." Her voice was higher and usual and she grinned. "Please."

His shoulders slumped and he groaned. "You're killing me."

"Don't be a baby, I just need you to come here."

She led him to the tree and he looked at her dubiously.

"So I didn't actually want candy canes." She started but then corrected herself. "Okay, I actually really was craving them. But I also needed to get rid of you for a few minutes."

"For?"

She reached down to the small pile of gifts that sat under the tree. "So I could have time to wrap this."

"You sent me into the cold so you could wrap a gift?"

"Just read the tag and open it." She thrust the box into his hand. "Go on."

_Liam,_ _thank you for putting up with me this month. This has been the best Christmas a girl could ask for. Here's too many more. Love, Kathryn._

"You didn't have to get me anything, you know I'd do anything for you." He said as he tore off the red and green paper.

"I know but you've been so sweet about everything. And we've spent so much time talking about next Christmas that we haven't really talked about this one."

He opened the box and pulled out a small heart-shaped ornament, when he turned it around he couldn't fight the smile that spread across his face. On one side it read 'Our First Christmas' and on the other side was the picture they had taken the day they picked out the tree. When he looked up, Kathryn had her hands clasped together under her chin. Her smile matched his and her green eyes were bright.

"What do you think? I ordered it two weeks ago but it got lost in the mail."

"I think it's perfect." He held it up and nodded to the tree. "Where should we put it?"

She pointed to a bare spot. "Front and center, I rearranged some of the bulbs while you were out."

They put it on together, his fingers brushed against hers. Once it was secure they took a step back and Kathryn leaned her arms on his chest. A comfortable silence fell over them as they looked at the tree. Liam kissed the top of her head and his arm snaked around her waist.

"To our first Christmas." He said quietly.

She reached up to kiss him. "And all the ones to come."

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas Eve! I miss these two so much.


End file.
